He probably deserves the guff he receives (questionable trades, questionable farm-building ability, maybe inflexible on FA SPs), but! In 3 years he’s built most of a new lineup save the previous regime’s still-producing core to the point where we are discussing the challenges of finding places for all our new, interesting bats. Healy/Ford/Vog is three draws at the 1B/DH deck with potential for long term answers from all three. We all know what he’s done in the OF, with Haniger being his crowning achievement in addition to Gamel/Heredia, likely very good role players, and then the magic Dee conversion. Jerry really does seem to have a unique eye for other teams’ talented but for some reason undervalued players. He’s also built what looks like a lockdown bullpen.
To me the big unanswered question is whether he has an eye for SP or not. I’d say the jury is out. I think it will be answered this year, though, as we see how Gonzales finally gets healthy and settles into who he’s going to be, and whether Erasmo’s new cutter really gave him a mini plateau leap or not. To me it’s his rotation spot that Jerry is ignoring Arrieta/Cobb/Lynn for, so I hope he and Mel see more than I see. It just might be the difference between being the 2017 Bills and another year of “nice nights at the ballpark”.